A pillow is a support for the head or other parts of the body, and is used while sleeping, resting, sitting, or reclining. A typical pillow includes a fabric envelope that contains a soft stuffing, such as down feathers, foam, or other selected soft stuffing. Bed pillows are normally covered with a pillowcase, whereas pillows used in a living room are normally covered in a comparatively sturdy pillowcase.
The common pillow, utilized in the generally functional manner described above, typically has opposing top and bottom panels that are fixedly joined at their periphery to enclose a cushioning material inside the pillow. The top and bottom panels are generally made out of cotton, polyester, silk, cotton/polyester blends, or other selected similar material or combination of similar materials. The common sleeping pillow has a plain surface that is covered with a pillowcase, which often has a design on it, that may also be made out of a variety of different materials. As well known to those skilled in the art, a wide variety of different materials are utilized as the cushioning material. Generally, these are selected for the ability to comfortably support the user.
Pillows are also utilized, often solely, as decorative items that are placed on the bed, couch, chair or other piece of furniture, adding flair to the furniture item. Typically, these decorative pillows have a covering surface that is colored and/or incorporates one or more design elements. Pillowcases are less commonly utilized with these types of pillows. A decorative pillow will generally be selected to present a chosen theme or to compliment the furniture and/or room in which the pillow is kept, which may match or contrast with the colors or design of the material utilized on the furniture item or used in the room. However, tastes change and interior furniture and room décor can change, including due to seasonal changes, holidays, events, and the like, rendering the chosen decorative pillows unsuitable, requiring the user to dispose of the old decorative pillows and acquire new decorative pillows to satisfy given needs or tastes, often at substantial cost. In pillows used with removable decorative pillowcases, replacing such pillowcases from time-to-time as the need may arise can lead to the loss or misplacement of the unused pillowcases. Given these and other deficiencies in the art, the need for continued improvement in the field of decorative pillows is evident.